The present invention relates generally to mobile antennas, and more particularly to an improved mobile antenna which is more economical to construct and which provides improved operating efficiency.
In recent years the increased use of personal mobile communications equipment, particularly that intended for use on the Citizen Band, has created the need for mobile antennas suitable for mounting on the exterior surfaces of automobiles and other vehicles. Preferably, because of the relatively low power levels involved, such antennas should provide the highest possible operating efficiency. Furthermore, such antennas should not be unnecessarily expensive, preferably lending themselves to fabrication using economical injection-molding techniques.
Prior art mobile antennas for Citizen Band applications having not completely satisfied these objectives. In particular, such antennas have typically incorporated a solid one-piece core of relatively small diameter for supporting the loading coil of the antenna, resulting in undesirably low operating efficiency for the antenna. Furthermore, such prior art designs required that the radiating element of the antenna be cut to length to tune the loading coil, thereby making it unnecessarily difficult for the user to fine tune the coil once installed and preventing retuning of the antenna in a subsequent installation requiring a longer radiating element.
The mobile antenna of the present invention, preferred constructions and mounting arrangements of which are further described in the co-pending applications of James P. Liautaud entitled "Mobile Antenna With Adjustable Radiating Element", Ser. No. 860,245; "Mobile Antenna Including Quick-Release Mounting", Ser. No. 860,247; "Mobile Antenna Mounting Assembly", Ser. No. 860,237; and "Antenna Mounting Adaptor", Ser. No. 860,234, filed concurrently herewith, overcomes the drawbacks of prior art mobile antenna designs in a form which is economical to manufacture and which is adapted to efficient operation in a wide variety of mounting situations.